PILGRIM’S
PROGRESS
May
2007
Dear
Friends,
Our Annual Meeting is just around the corner on May 15. Please plan to come and participate in the decision making of our church. The people’s opinions do matter in Congregationalism. Very often it is in our differences that God’s way is most clearly discerned. Like a diamond, diverse perspectives can reflect different facets of the same truth. Perhaps that is why John Owen described Congregationalism as an attempt “to restore the old, the beautiful face of Christianity.”
Church history is filled with diverse decisions and methods for making them. In the early church, decisions were made by small communal groups called house churches. Later, the church caved into the culture and adopted the Roman government’s hierarchical “chain of command.” After the Reformation, the church rediscovered the freedom to worship in direct relationship with God. This led to a more democratic decision making style. Today, there are basically three decision making governances reflected in our main line churches: hierarchical, connectional and congregational. Our Catholic and Episcopalian churches reflect a more hierarchical model with decision making issuing from the top down. The Presbyterian style of government is considered connectional; combining directives from the Presbytery but also taking into account the voices of the people. Finally, our congregational governance is “bottom up” rather than “top down,” and seeks through covenant relationship with God and God’s people to discern God’s way and to walk in it.
Congregationalism holds the conviction that God speaks most clearly when people gather together under Covenant. That is why Leicester Sawyer called Congregationalism “another name for church democracy.” But unlike democracy that seeks a majority vote out of a diversity of opinion, congregationalism sought the mind of Christ out of the differences expressed by a covenanted people. To that point, Dr. Peggy Bendroth recently reminded us that seeking the mind of Christ for early Christians was no easy matter. It didn’t just bubble up out of diversity and dialogue. Instead it was understood that those that gathered had searched the scripture, sought God in prayer and studied the subjects they met together to decide upon. Unlike our current culture that likes to hear what the experts have to say, Congregationalism had a passionate regard for ordinary people gathered together as instruments of God’s grace.
Speaking for myself, I am deeply
drawn to Congregationalism. It reflects for me the spirit of Christ and not
merely a movement. Congregationalism in
its purest form respects the dignity and the differences of all people as
created equally in the image of God. It affirms the words of
Congregational history is a good thing to keep in mind as we approach Annual Meeting on May 15. Remembering our forefathers and mothers is both a blessing and a responsibility. For they invite us all to seek God’s mind, search the scriptures and study the issues we will be invited to vote upon. They remind us to respect one another’s differences. Above all they humble us to hear. At the end of the day, we may agree to disagree but still covenant to walk together. The United Church of Christ uniquely captures this core value with its logo “God is Still Speaking.” And the challenge that comes on the flip side of this comment is this: “Are we still listening?” May it be so as we meet together on May 15.
Blessings,
Bev Weinhold.
TO ALL MEMBERS OF
In accordance with Article IV, Section 5 of the By-laws of
Lilly
Cleveland, Clerk
Please
join us for Faith
Sharing Bible Study on Wednesday
mornings from 10:00-11:15 and Wednesday evenings from 7:00-8:15 during the
month of May. We spend time sharing joys
and concerns and then study the scripture together in conversational style. Everyone is welcome. There is no prerequisite familiarity with the
Bible. All of us are learners. And all of us are on a journey of faith. We walk together, learn from one another and
draw closer to God. A study book ($6
each) will be available for participants.
Please take a moment to sign up on the bulletin board outside the vestry
or call the church office if you plan to join us.
Lord, when you open your hand, we
are satisfied with good things.
Psalm 104:28
You are
welcome to join Rev. Beverly Weinhold on Tuesday
mornings for an informal Prayer Meeting from 8:30 – 9:00. The prayer meetings will continue through May
15. During this time of transition, our
church deeply needs the comfort and guidance prayer affords us. Anyone interested in participating is invited
to join Rev. Weinhold in the parlor.
The South Shore Habitat for
Humanity 14th Annual Gala & Auction will be held Saturday, May
12th at 7:00 PM at Reebok World Headquarters in
Pilgrim
Pictorial Directories are Coming!
Plans have been made for Olan Mills to come to
Olan Mills will be taking pictures on June 4 and 5, as well
as July 12, 13, and 14. The time for all but the last date is
3:00-9:30 PM. Specific times for Saturday, July 14, will be announced
soon. Sign ups have begun; you can make your individual appointment at
any of the fellowship times following worship; there will be someone there to
answer any questions you might have.
A contact person will be announced in upcoming bulletins for
anyone not able to schedule an appointment after worship on Sundays. Please discuss with family
members now which date will work best. Remember, signing up early makes
it much easier to get the specific day and time desired.
These dates were chosen to insure that any pictures ordered
from Olan Mills would be delivered in time for Christmas gift-giving. Any
questions should be directed to Suzanne Blanchard, project chairman.
Interested in learning about or becoming a
member of Pilgrim Church of Duxbury? The Deacons and Reverend Weinhold invite you to an Inquirer's Class on the Sundays
of June 3 and 10 from 3:00-4:30 PM. New Members will join our church during
worship on June 17. Please plan to come even if you’re on the fence about
joining. We want to know you better and
answer any questions you have about our church. Please forgive our late
dates. We wanted to do this sooner, but
because of many transition activities we were unable to. Despite the late date,
know how much you are valued. We are eager to share ourselves and to get to
know you as we partner together in a journey of faith. A sign up sheet will be
provided on the bulletin board outside the vestry. Please come!
Rev.
Weinhold and the Deacons
Pilgrim Women’s Fellowship
May 10 is the date for the Pilgrim Women's
Fellowship Annual Meeting and Luncheon.
This year's program will be a fashion show featuring outfits from Duxbury
Thrift & Consignment Shop. See what marvelous creations your models Winnie
D’Amelio, Suzanne Blanchard, Sandy Bondlow, and Janet Ritch (to name just a
few) picked out at bargain prices. You’ll see a contemporary twist to some
familiar characters of the past! It all
starts at 10:30 AM in the vestry and costs just $10.00 (which includes a
catered lunch). See Renee Kahl, Sarah Beattie, or Janet Ritch during coffee
hour for reservations or give them a call.
Koinonia
is pleased to welcome our members who spent the winter in
Bookworms will meet this month on May 22 (4th Tuesday) in the church library at 1:30 PM. This will be our last time together until fall. The summer reading selection will be announced at our April meeting. All are most welcome!
Prayer Shawl Ministry - Do you like to knit? Then consider joining our new Prayer Shawl knitting group which meets on the 3rd Tuesday of the month from 1:15-3:15 PM in the church parlor. Bring 3 skeins of Lion Brand Homespun yarn (your choice of color) and size 13 needles. These lovingly crafted and "prayed over" shawls will be given to those in need of comfort as well as at times of celebration. Our next meeting is Tuesday, May 15. Come for tea, friendship, fellowship and fun! Questions? Call Maddie Merrifield at 781-837-8545.
Youth
June
23rd-June 30th 2007
The High School Youth of Pilgrim Church will
be returning to
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
* * * * * * *
YES! I wish to be a stockholder in the
Pilgrim Church Youth Mission Trip.
Name____________________________________________________________________
Address__________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
Phone
#__________________________________________________________________
Please check the amount you are contributing:
___$10
___$25 ___$50 ___$100 ___other
Participant you wish to honor:_______________________________________
Please make your check payable to “Pilgrim
Church Mission Trip”
Mail this form and your check to:
Rev. Eloise Parks
Thanks for
helping make our mission trip possible!
“Carry each other’s burdens, and
in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ”
Background: In 2002,
In February 2004 the Stephen
Leaders spent a week training in
Throughout April and May, the Stephen Leaders (SLs) ran an informational and educational campaign to recruit Stephen Ministers (SMs) and introduce the Stephen Ministry (SM) to the congregation. The goal was to train between 8 and 12 SMs in the first training class. In June, 2004 the first class of 8 SMs was introduced to the church: Helen Barrow, Ellen Bobseine, Barry Brodil, Chris Gill, Sue Horton, Heidi MacLaren, Lansing Reed and Linda VonIderstein.
The class of 2004 started 50 hours of training in September 2004, and completed the entire course in January 2005. They were commissioned as Stephen Ministers in February 2005 and began serving the congregation immediately. After training, SMs attended peer supervision meetings every two weeks.
As a SM’s commitment is for two years a new recruitment effort started in 2005. The goal was 5-7 new SMs and five were called to serve: Ginny Hunt Burbine, Heidi Hadley, Amy Rose, Bob Mustard, and Les Ball. They started their training in January 2006 and were commissioned in late spring. They, too, started serving the congregation immediately.
Current Status: Since
February 2005 the SM has provided one to one Christian care to 24 members of
The length of time a SM spends with a care receiver has been as long as two years or as short as two months depending on need. The average has been about six months. Peer supervision meetings are now once a month on the advice of Beverly Weinhold, a SL herself with many years’ experience. The monthly meetings appear to be working well.
In addition to providing one to
one Christian care, since mid-2006 the SM has sent or given at least 14 sets of
the Journeying Though Grief series books to members of the congregation
and friends of members who have requested the series. Written by Dr. Kenneth Haugk,
the founder of the
This past December, the SM had its first “Blue Christmas” service, a special gathering open to the entire community honoring the not-so-happy holidays for those who have suffered a loss or have no reason to celebrate the glitz of the season. It was, as anticipated, sparsely attended but deeply moving for those who did go. This service is expected to gather momentum each year as it becomes more widely known and understood.
In February, having fulfilled his
commitment, Roger White stepped down as a SL.
As mentioned before, a SL commitment is three years, and in order to maintain
a constant leadership level, one of the initial SLs
will step down in 2007 (Roger), 2008 (Janice Brodil) and 2009 (Lee Tenney –
however Lee has indicated she will stay on as SL if needed). Therefore, we are very happy that two new SLs will train in
Currently, of the 13 SMs trained, eight are active. Two are on sabbatical, one chose not to continue after training, and two moved away. To operate effectively in a church of our size, a minimum of three SLs and five SMs must be in place. This should not be a problem in the next year. However, for future planning, another SL should be trained in 2008 and must be trained in 2009 or 2010 (at the latest) and another SM class should be scheduled for 2008.
Janice Brodil and Lee Tenney, Stephen Leaders
Christian Education Corner
For
the month of May,
Kid’s Klub*Kid’s Klub is for 4th, 5th and 6th graders. We will meet on May 27th from 2:30-4:00PM in
the vestry. Bring a friend and join us
for a fun spring afternoon.
JYF*JYF*JYF-7th and 8th graders-we will meet on May
11th and 25th. On May 11th, come to the
vestry for an evening of fun and learning.
On May 25th, we will have a cook out at the Zisko’s
house,
Confirmation-There are two big weekends and then your
Confirmation process
is finished. Your life as
a full-fledged Church member has just begun!
The Confirmation Retreat is on May 4th and 5th. We will meet at the Church the evening of the
4th and return to the Church the afternoon of the 5th. If you have not received a letter concerning
the retreat by the 2nd of May, please contact me. And then, CONFIRMATION! Your Confirmation service is on Saturday, May
12th at 4pm. Please be at the Church by
3:30pm. This is a very special service
and I pray that it will be a blessing to all that attend.
SYF will meet in the vestry on the 6th and the
20th of May at 6:00 PM. Watch for
details and/or reminders in the church bulletins.
Mission Trip –We are less than 2 months away from
leaving for
Peace
and Grace,
Rev.
Eloise
The Board of Christian Outreach
is continuing its service at the Pine Street Inn on the 4th Friday
of each month. We meet at 3:30 PM in the
church parking lot, and this month the date is April 27. If you would like to join us in serving
dinner to the
On April fifteenth, we were
privileged to have the First Parish Recorder Ensemble play for us at our
Worship Service. The eight talented musicians played Early Music for us
on soprano, alto, tenor and bass recorders. It was a pleasure to see as
well as hear them.
The senior choir will continue rehearsals on Thursday evenings, as
usual, through the month of May. We are presently looking for
volunteers to provide music during the summer to enhance our
services. Anyone who would be interested in singing or playing an
instrument on a Sunday please let me know.
Solos, duets, trios, etc. are all welcome. Members of the choir have
already signed up for some of the Sundays but there
is still room for others.
The piano in the Sanctuary was given in 1984 by the parents of Gregg Schmidt, our minister-in-training at that time, in gratitude for the encouragement given to him by our church. The piano has served us well for all these years but is no longer suitable for use in the Sanctuary. It goes out of tune almost as soon as our technician completes the tuning. We have a real need for a new piano for the Sanctuary and a fund has been established for
this purpose. More details
will be forthcoming.
Cathy
Morrison, Music Director
PARISH POST
Prayers of Healing - Bill Poellmitz - Grace Poellmitz - Priscilla Sangster
Prayers of Comfort and
Solace
For the family and friends of Muriel Graves, Brenda Alexander’s mother.
For the family and friends of Dorre Kennedy, Bruce Tenney’s mother.
For the family and friends of Ann Wilson, Bill Files’ sister.
Prayers of Joy
For the baptism of William Allen Hinkley, son of Alyssa and William Hinkley and godson of K.C. and Brad Hubeny.